Asleep
by caitlynvstheworld
Summary: Set between the Funeral episode and Nationals, this is a Faberry fic. Quinn's getting over her breakup with Finn when Rachel comes into the picture. Incredibly confused about her feelings, this is Quinn's POV. Some Brittana. Rated M for sexual themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, but I wish I did because that would mean a lot more Quinn. I also don't own Asleep by The Smiths, but I wish I did, because I would have Quinn sing it.**

**This is my first fanfiction, so go crazy!**

A tear balanced itself on her eyelash for a second before losing purchase and plummeting down, splattering across the glossy photograph. It was the one she'd told her mother not to take, the one they'd had that big fight about.

Quinn couldn't begin to tell you why she was torturing herself, luminous eyes staring down at the photograph of her daughter. Vulnerability was something that simply couldn't happen, not around people and not even in the safety of her own home. But there it was. And during these rare times that she actually let the walls come down, Quinn could never shake the feeling that she had lost something. Her resolve, obviously, but she felt that she owed it to herself... to her mistakes... to just suck everything up. As her pastor would say, many other people had it worse...

But, Beth looked adorable in her little beanie, eyes closed. Quinn had only gotten one good look at her, honestly, and that was when she had been holding her. This photograph brought back the memory vividly. When she was younger, she would have - possibly insensitively - told you that all babies looked the same. Because that's what she saw. Beth was different. Quinn could see herself in her daughter... The shape of her face already hinted at Fabray-ic, and around her eyes, she could see a little bit of Puck. That would have made her smile if she wasn't crying.

She wasn't sure what had prompted her to go find the picture. Perhaps it was nostalgia... Maybe she just needed a reality check. Because the pregnancy _did _happen, although that was last year's news and no one really even remembered. Quinn did, though.

With a sigh, she wiped her eyes. At first, she did so gently but as frustration swept over her, she rubbed them harder. This wasn't even her daughter, it was Rachel's mom's. That's what she'd told herself when she gave her away. No use in crying over what's not yours. What never will be.

Abruptly, Quinn stood up from her mother's bed, sliding the picture back into her mother's book and placing it on the bedside table. She only knew it was there because she'd seen her mother using it as a bookmark at dinner... They rarely talked at dinner these days. Or, at all, for that matter. Which hurt more than Quinn could say.

Her eyes were still a little puffy, so she blinked them hard and didn't touch them as she exited her mother's room, closing the door behind her as quietly as possible. In the instant that she was out of her mother's room, her face changed. Vulnerability gone in a second replaced by a veil of a sort of indifferent superiority. She was Quinn Fabray, and she had to look the part.

Flattening out her skirt, Quinn proceeded to descend the stairs. In a flurry, she could see prom night... The way her blue dress had flowed down the steps was something she knew she'd never forget. Along with the prom memory came a rush of sudden sadness. Sadness because Beth was in New York. Sadness because Jean Sylvester died just a few days ago, and she was simply what Quinn would describe as the epitome of good in the world, though she'd never tell anyone else. Sadness because of Finn... At that, Quinn bit her lip very hard. She was poised... She had her guard up. Nothing was going to break that.

Quinn made her way to the kitchen and grabbed herself a small cup of yogurt with granola to pour in for breakfast. Her morning meal was always the same. Either that, or she'd skip out on it altogether. She hadn't thought of carbs and eating the same way for years... Tossing a messenger bag over her shoulder, she hurried out the front door to her car for school.

There wasn't all that much to Quinn Fabray's day. First through third period was a breeze, and at lunch she'd usually eat with... Not today. Today she'd taken her food outside because you could eat alone outside and no one would think anything of it. Sitting at a table by yourself was more ostentatious. Especially since most of the school didn't know she no longer had a boyfriend.

The rest of the day sped by until, finally, it was time for Glee Club. Show choir used to be stupid to her. The only reason she even joined the club was to be Coach Sylvester's little spy. But now... Quinn had learned so much, and the people there had helped her through a lot, not that she was quite ready to by all huggy and warm with them. Certainly not thankful. No, not yet. But, she did happen to respect them, and also, she found out she really could sing. And today she was going to.

"Hey, guys. So, I've been chewing over some ideas for Nationals, but then I realized that we haven't done a weekly lesson in, well, weeks. So, I thought that I want you guys to look deep within yourself. Then I want you to figure out what you desire the most-" Quinn looked up when she heard Mr. Schue's voice. She was sitting next to Mike and Tina, trying as hard as she could to ignore their lovey dovey giggles and playfulness. On her other side sat Lauren which wasn't actually too odd. Ever since the dreaded lapse between them during prom campaign, Quinn had grown to respect Lauren. And she could tell that she felt the same. They didn't talk much, but there seemed to be a solid understanding between them. For the most part. But, even Lauren looked up when Quinn cut Mr. Schuester off.

"Mr. Schue - sorry - but before we get down to all of the teaching, self worth, and philosophical stuff, I was wondering if I could have the stage for a minute. I've got a song, and I'm pretty sure it has something to do with your lesson." She said the words in a confident voice. That was one of the things Quinn liked about herself... No matter how bummed out she was, she had the distinct ability to always be able to deliver her words like a badass.

If she expected Mr. Schue to be irritated by the interruption, he wasn't. If anything, he simply looked surprised. Probably because Quinn wasn't Rachel. She didn't offer to do a solo on the spot or work up a song just because she felt like it. In fact, Quinn held firm to the belief that her emotions shouldn't be on display for just anyone to see... Regardless, it was time for things to change. "Well, sure, Quinn." His face broke into a smile. "Go for it."

All the eyes in the room were on her, and she could feel Finn's bearing into the spot between her shoulder blades. She could just feel it. But, this song wasn't for him. As she stood, so did Puck, and guitar in hand, he moved to go stand with her in front of the club. Tina and Mike were still giggling. Santana had her legs crossed and was looking away, cynical as ever in the back. Kurt looked more curious than anything. Artie and Brittany wooped a little. Sam simply stared at her. Mercedes shrugged, and Lauren raised her brow as her man moved after Quinn.

There wasn't anything between her and Puckerman right now; she'd simply asked him if he would help her out for this song, and he'd said yes, which was rather generous of him since they hadn't been talking. She wasn't sure what was going on between them, but he'd only made a few of his Puck-esque comments during their rehearsal last night, so she wondered if they were on good terms now.

"This is a song that's been on my mind for a long time." she said simply, and then Puckerman started playing. Traditionally, Asleep by The Smiths was played on the piano, but Puck had done a brilliant job figuring it all out on guitar, and his notes drifted across the room, setting the mood fantastically.

_Sing me to sleep  
>Sing me to sleep<br>I'm tired and I  
>I want to go to bed<em>

She turned her head and cast a glance around the room... Her voice was husky, but the song didn't require much range, and she thought it sounded exactly the way she felt. Her emotions were dark with no range...

_Sing me to sleep  
>Sing me to sleep<br>And then leave me alone  
>Don't try to wake me in the morning<br>'Cause I will be gone  
>Don't feel bad for me<br>I want you to know  
>Deep in the cell of my heart<br>I will feel so glad to go_

Her eyes finally dared to go where she hadn't let them before. She stared right at Finn, light eyes blazing. This was goodbye. It was closure, perhaps not the type that would have been favorable to her, but it was something. They locked gazes, and she saw his mouth open in that Finn way of his. He glanced down at Rachel, and Quinn found herself turning her gaze on her, too.

_Sing me to sleep  
>Sing me to sleep<br>I don't want to wake up  
>On my own anymore<em>

Quinn wasn't sure why she was looking at Rachel. It made no sense because the song was for herself, not Finn, though she knew the lyrics applied to him. What also didn't make sense was the small tear trailing down Rachel's cheek.

_Sing to me  
>Sing to me<br>I don't want to wake up  
>On my own anymore<em>

Quinn couldn't stop holding Rachel's gaze. She wanted to be furious, and she wanted to say something sarcastic and mean, but she was performing and it was just so shocking. Was she making Rachel cry?

_Don't feel bad for me  
>I want you to know<br>Deep in the cell of my heart  
>I really want to go<em>

Quinn noticed with some gratification that Finn was looking between the two girls, confused. At least now, she thought, he might not think she was singing the song to him.

_There is another world  
>There is a better world<br>Well, there must be  
>Well, there must be<br>Well, there must be  
>Well, there must be<br>Well..._

She tore her eyes away from Rachel with some difficulty and cast a blank look across the Glee Club. Some people looked moved, yeah, but no one was crying like Rachel... As she sang, Quinn thought. She wanted someone to sing her to sleep like the lyrics said. She didn't know who. She just wanted someone. Someone that could be there. Someone who didn't break things off after funerals. That was her desire for this week's lesson. Someone to sing her to sleep.

_Bye bye  
>Bye bye<br>Bye..._

And applause.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own One by U2, but if I did, I'd have Finn sing it. XD And again, I don't own Glee. ksfjdkfjs.**

Quinn hurried out to her car, brushing the hair out of her eyes as a steady cascade of rain began to shower over her. She was fumbling for her keys when she strode straight into someone, nearly knocking the other girl off her feet.

"Oh, hell. I'm sorry." Quinn raised her head and immediately wished she had taken the words back, her slightly apologetic face returning to its normal queen bitch front. Through the veil of rain, she caught sight of a dark-haired girl, struggling to keep her balance. It was Rachel Berry. Oh, God. What the _hell _was the girl wearing? A green sweater with a red skirt and white panty hose... She looked like a Christmas tree. "Oh." was all Quinn said.

The two stood in the pouring rain, and Quinn noted with some irritation that her hair was starting to plaster to her head, slicked wet but glowing golden in the faint light. Rachel's was the same Quinn saw, and then she inclined her head. As she took in the other girl, she realized she'd never noticed that little mole on her left cheek. It surprised her; Quinn was very observant, even if she didn't look at Rachel much.

"Sorry!" cried the girl, fumbling with her bags and catching them clumsily. Spitefully in her head, Quinn wondered how someone who performed so much choreography could be such a klutz. "That was my bad. I just missed my bus, and..." She finally raised her rain-heavy lashes to meet Quinn's eyes. "Oh." They stared at each other, silence swelling around them save for the droplets splattering the ground. Quinn noticed that as the water crashed mercilessly against the asphalt, it rebounded, catching what little light there was. She thought that for the second or two she could see the tiny explosions, it was almost like glass flowers were sprouting and dying around them simultaneously. For some reason, it was a calming thought.

Well... some part of Quinn wanted to shrug and keep walking, go to her car, and leave Rachel Berry in the rain. Or make a snide comment about how her boyfriend - ex, she reminded herself in her head viciously - could give Rachel a ride. That would be the Quinn thing to do. But something was gnawing at her... How Rachel cried when she was singing. She knew she'd have to find out what her problem was or it would bother her for the rest of the week. And, plus, there was already too much stuff bothering her anyways. "Come on. Get in the car. I'll give you a ride." Then, she proceeded to get into her car, not looking back to see if Rachel followed. She slammed the door shut.

The humid air that attacked her right side from the door being opened was answer enough for her, and she waited for Rachel to close the door before starting up the car. "Thanks, Quinn."

"Where do you live?"

Rachel nodded, bangs falling in her eyes, and started rambling off directions. When she started "hoping this wasn't an inconvenience for her", Quinn started to zone out, paying more attention to driving. A minute later Rachel must have asked her a question because now she was looking at her expectantly.

"Oh, what?"

"I was just asking what made you decide to sing a song. You never usually do, and Asleep was a good choice. Very emotional. I liked Puck's rendition of the piano part-"

Quinn glanced at her. She didn't _care _what Rachel's opinion was on the song. She didn't care what anyone's was. She had only sang it for herself, so she told her that. "I sang it for me," answered Quinn, taking a smooth turn. "Because I felt like it was something I needed to do." It wasn't particularly that simple, but she didn't feel like elaborating her emotions to Rachel. Anyways, she had just pulled up in front of her house. "Is this it?"

Rachel was about to reply to the other stuff Quinn had said when she asked the question, and she gave a quick nod, moving to gather her things... Quinn thought for a moment, curiosity nagging her viciously. But, Rachel was opening the door and if she didn't ask now, she probably never would.

"Rachel." Her voice was barely audible over the rain thudding the car, but she heard it. The brunette turned to look at her, her big brown eyes staring right into her green ones. "Today. I was singing. Did you have something in your eye?" It came out wrong, and Rachel blinked.

"What?"

"You were crying."

She looked surprised and bit her lip, appearing a little edgy. Glancing to the side so as not to make eye contact, she gave a heavy sigh. "Yeah, I was crying."

"Why?"

"Because it was good. You were good. Anyways, thanks for the ride." With that, she grabbed her belongings and slammed the door shut before Quinn could reply.

* * *

><p>The hallway was quiet today, the only noise besides the rain outside - Lima was experiencing a full-on storm - was the mindless gossiping whispers fluctuating between the students. Quinn stood at her locker, looking up and down the hall. Her stomach twisted when she saw Finn enter through the double doors from outside. His hair was slicked from walking from the parking lot in the rain, and water beaded the flat planes of his face. He could have been crying. When he saw her, she saw his mouth open a little again, the way it had in Glee Club when she was singing. She wasn't sure what she saw in those eyes... But, it looked like... Regret?<p>

"Quinn." Lauren's voice made Quinn start. Or start as much as Quinn could... She tensed a little before turning and looking at the other girl.

"Is there anything going on between you and Puckerman?" The question surprised her, and Quinn felt an amused smile cross her face. She didn't smile enough these days.

"No. Don't get all protective of your man on me."

Lauren's shoulders relaxed and she grinned. "Good. Because I thought I was going to have to take care of the problem." She raised her fists in a mock form of confrontation, and Quinn smiled. "Anyways. Nice song yesterday. And seeing as you _aren't _stepping up on my man, I'm going to invite you to a house party Friday."

"Dear God, not Rachel's?" Quinn only had the vaguest memory of shouting at Puck about knocking her up. And it wasn't the fondest.

"No." Zizes laughed and shook her head, hair swaying. "I don't know much about it, but I do know he landed us someone's apartment while they're out of town. So, come. And that's an order." She smirked and turned to walk away.

Quinn wished she had stayed long enough for her to ask who was going to be there, but it seemed she would just have to find out.

* * *

><p>Only a few people performed that day to sing about their desires. From what Quinn could tell, the lesson was about going for your dreams and capturing them, or something emotional like that. Likewise, Puck had made it up to Lauren for playing guitar with Quinn by singing Demolition Lovers by My Chemical Romance. Mike and Tina had performed some duet with her singing and him dancing that Santana fell asleep during. And finally, Finn got the stage. Quinn expected him to sing his love to Rachel, and she had prepared herself for this. She was sporting a poker face.<p>

But when he turned to face the Glee Club, he was staring right at her, brown eyes blazing more ferociously than she'd ever seen them.

"I just need to sing this," he explained to Mr. Schue as he beckoned Artie up for guitar. He didn't once take his eyes off Quinn. And then the music started.

_Is it getting better?  
>Or do you feel the same?<br>Will it make it easier on you now?  
>You got someone to blame<br>You say  
>One love<br>One life  
>When it's one need<br>In the night  
>One love<br>We get to share it  
>Leaves you darling, if you<br>Don't care for it_

He sang the last line vehemently, and Quinn was starting to understand. Had she ever told him that she loved him? Maybe once? When she was feeling vulnerable... When Rachel and Finn were together, they'd said those words like there was no tomorrow. And they'd meant it... She'd stared at them then. Didn't they know hearts were breakable?

_Did I disappoint you?  
>Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?<br>You act like you never had love  
>And you want me to go without<br>Is it_

He was explaining things to her, she realized. Why everything had fallen where they had. And it was a plea... For her to change so it would work?

_Too late  
>Tonight<br>To drag the past out into the light  
>We're one, but we're not the same<br>We get to  
>carry each other<br>carry each other  
>One<em>

Somewhere during the next set of lyrics, Quinn let her gaze roam the room. Most of the Glee Club was staring at Finn, who was staring at her. No one had made the connection he was singing the song to her yet. No one except Rachel. Quinn locked gazes with her and took in a deep breath. Was she upset? Was Finn hurting her by singing to Quinn? Did Finn even care? Well, Rachel looked upset... but why wasn't she looking at Finn? He was the one doing this to her. Not her. Right?

_Have you come here for forgiveness?  
>Have you come to raise the dead?<br>Have you come here to play Jesus?  
>To the lepers in your head<em>

Quinn could feel Finn's unsteadiness in his lyrics, but she didn't shift her eyes from Rachel. He had probably thought they were going to stare for the entire song. That that was his point. Well, she thought, it was his turn to be disappointed.

_Did I ask too much?  
>More than a lot.<br>You gave me nothing,  
>Now it's all I got<br>We're one  
>But we're not the same<br>See we  
>Hurt each other<br>Then we do it again  
>You say<br>Love is a temple  
>Love a higher law<br>Love is a temple  
>Love is a higher law<br>You ask me to enter  
>But then you make me crawl<br>And I can't keep holding on  
>To what you got<br>When all you've got is hurt_

The Glee Club was steadily starting to figure everything out. What was funny was that their attention first shifted to Rachel instead of Quinn. They probably wanted to see if she was okay... At that moment, it hit Quinn impossibly hard how much they didn't care if she was. That no one gave a damn if she was hurting... Because she was Quinn, and that meant she just had to suck it up.

_One love  
>One blood<br>One life  
>You got to do what you should<br>One life  
>With each other<br>Sisters, brothers  
>One life<br>But we're not the same  
>We get to<br>Carry each other  
>Carry each other<em>

Finally, Rachel glanced away from Quinn, instead staring at her shoes. She could tell by the way she trembled that she was trying not to cry. Quinn was grateful that she had long since become a master at not tearing up. It made you look weak.

_One...  
>One...<em>

No one clapped. Not even Mr. Schue. It was very quiet, and Finn was looking right at her, his eyes pleading. He wanted her to change. He wanted her to feel more and talk about those feelings more and show her affection more. Simply be more. Which was what caused something in Quinn to snap. She stood, straightening her floral dress and grabbed her bag. All eyes were still on Rachel, so it took the club a minute to acknowledge what was happening, but Quinn was gone by then. Out the door and into the hall. She was a master at not crying. She was a master at not crying. But, there she was. Crying.


	3. Chapter 3

**I decided to take a different approach to this chapter than I originally thought when I played it out in my head. I'm not sure if it'll be well-liked or not, but it was fun to write, so. XD Thanks for all the wonderful reviews by the way! As long as everyone likes this fic, I'll be sure to update it :3**

**Disclaimer: Nur. I don't own Glee.**

Dust trickled in and out of the brightness cast above, similar, Quinn thought, to invisible ink under ultraviolet light. Once the specks had drifted away from the rays they became impossible to see, like a secret sailing away.

The florescence reminded Quinn of Heaven. Her pastor once implied that the promise land was pathed with gold, not a shadow disrupting its unearthly vigor. As green eyes, glinted hazel in the light, continued to stare upward, Quinn wondered if this was what it was like to be dead. Some part of her flinched at the comparison, and another flourished. Some days she thought that may be a relief, not seriously enough for her to need any psychological attention, but it was something to contemplate. But, to die. Some day. Hm. But, right now, she felt more alive than she had in months.

With an arch of her back, Quinn let her lashes consume her hazey eyes. She stood like that for a second, and when she let them flutter open, the light was still considerably bright, fragments of it ricocheting off of her irises in an almost feral nature. It gave her a headache, she realized, a steady thud forming in the back of her head, reverberating against her skull. Turning away from the lights responsible for the ache, Quinn threw her green gaze across the apartment, letting it fixate and sway. There was a relentless beat pulsating through the area, and at first, she was sure it was her headache until she realized respective words were being sung along with it. The music swelled around her, carrying with it a familiar twinge, but she was already too far gone to recognize the lyrics.

Glee kids were dancing in the remains of the apartment, jackets tossed carelessly across the furniture and floors. Pinpricking her vision were countless red cups scattered everywhere, and Quinn found herself following the trail of them until her eyes reached her hand. She was holding one, she realized with unsurpassed fascination. The ghost of a smile touched her lips as the red of the cup bled across her vision, making it almost impossible for her to zero in on its outline. She threw her head back and took a final sip before crushing the plastic container in her palm and throwing it aside nonchalantly, and making her way to the dance floor.

Tina and Mike were making out on a couch, both of which making undecipherable sounds which implied no ounce of modesty, even considering the entire club was present. This made Quinn immediately apply her ability to use selective hearing. Puck and Lauren were dancing idly in a corner, and Zizes looked fairly sober for the most part, since she obviously wasn't criticizing Puck as she and Quinn both had at Rachel's house party. Or, at least, not as explicitly, the blond noted with some amusement as she watched Zizes start throwing her hands in the air... Brittany was circling Artie, tossing her fair hair back and forth and dipping low to teasingly brush her lips against his. Santana stood off in another corner, her hand firmly gripping the drink in her hand...

Despite the clarity of everything she was viewing, the whole scene still seemed to be disconcertingly lopsided. The ground underfoot was swaying, and the only comparison Quinn could pin to feeling was the dizziness that came when one spun in circles over and over. Intoxication was not the cause for this unfortunately, as Quinn was sure the rest of the club was not experiencing the same effects as her. Upon arrival at the party, Quinn had made the sullen mistake of venturing into the kitchen for a snack. There, she had found a platter that looked as if it had once been full of brownies. As it was, only a single pastry remained. Fairly sloppy, Quinn could only assume they were of Puck's creation as she reached forward to bite into one. Having skipped out on dinner, she assured herself that just one would be a feasible alternative, but she soon came to discover that they were rather horrid to the taste. She barely got it down with the help of a conveniently placed red cup. It had taken almost a hour of awkward lounging before the effects started to kick in.

And now everything was spinning and colorful, not unlike peering through the lense of a kaleidoscope. It was a thrilling feeling, though seemingly terrifying at the same time. Moving was the only thing that fueled her to not pass out somewhere, so Quinn was taking it seriously... And right now, she just... She just wanted to dance.

Sam was her first victim, and surprise was evident across his ivory features when she approached him. It wasn't long before she had started moving against him, the boy swaying a little and casting his eyes about for some help or, at the very least, an explanation. It didn't take long, however, before he let himself start moving naturally, and they were dancing, her body feeling like liquid. Quinn wasn't exactly sure what he had come to think of the whole episode, but he certainly wasn't complaining.

It took a while before a cold sheen of sweat had managed to work itself up on Quinn's brow, and the two breathed laboriously. This was when Sam chose the time to regretfully go refill his cup, and she took a few deep breaths after he left, her legs feeling like they were walking on air, her entirety weightless. No more than ten seconds later, however, Sam was quickly replaced by a much larger stature. Finn with his brown eyes staring luminously down at her.

The practical part of her mind was failing fast, but Quinn was still well aware that she should leave, run away like she usually did when confronted with such situations. Unfortunately, the part of her that wanted to dance was every bit as much powerful as it was elating. She danced with him, her chest brushing close enough against his that she could feel his erratic breathing. Lust fueled the glow to his eyes, she saw, when she finally leaned her head up, but her heart beat remained steady. He lurched forward then, and Quinn almost jumped back under the impression that his legs had finally given out after years of supporting Finn's considerably heavy mass. As it was, he had done so intentionally, his lips bordering on missing hers completely. It was sloppy at first, but when he found her rosily rimmed mouth, they were kissing. Quinn's body went along with it as all thought seemed to have eluded her mind, and she pressed herself against him. Their lips brushed against each other hard, almost viciously. Finn's in a way that they never had before, need practically emanating from them. It felt so wrong, but maybe that was right.

And now they were moving, not dancing like before, but traversing the dance floor, and heading heatedly toward a door. Finn swung it open clumsily, not relinquishing his lips from hers all the while, and they fell together, hitting the bed with a _thud_. Everything was speeding around her head as Finn pressed her down into the pillows, his large body completely overwhelming the petite blond. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around him because she knew it would please the boy, though she wasn't particularly aroused at the moment. It was as if she was just going through the motions as they continued to kiss, tongues brushing against each other every now and then. Her body was obviously glued to the sheets, but her mind was elsewhere, high above the bed and watching them go at it. The alcohol, the brownies; it was making everything feel like they were perpetually stuck in fastforward, and the bad bits felt as if they were on pause. She just wanted everything to stop, thoughts and physical sensations completely overloading her. Something was breaking.

"Stop." she said quietly, leaning up so that her elbows propped her up. Finn didn't hear her at first, preoccupied with leaving a trail of wet kisses down her neck and collar bone. She finally moved to push her hands against his chest, a move he assumed was supposed to prompt him on, until she shoved him a little harder.

"What?" He lifted his head, a furrow appearing between his eyebrows.

"Stop." she repeated, the dull throb of her headache returning simultaneously.

"Quin... I... I love you."

"Stop."

"I want to be with you. I'm so sorry."

"Stop."

"You just... you weren't loving me, and..."

Her resolve shattered into a million pieces, and Quinn thought she could almost see the bits of it rebounding off the walls. Her head felt like it was splitting in two. "Screw you, Finn Hudson!" she exclaimed, small fists grabbing into his shirt hard and pushing at him. Though the move was dramatic and meaningful, it was still fairly obvious that someone of her stature simply couldn't remove someone who weighed as much as Finn. Not even with her Cheerio muscles. And so, Quinn settled for slipping out from underneath him clumsily and making a break for it, out the door and onto the dance floor.

"Quinn!" he shouted in surprise, leaping to his feet and hurrying after her. "You have to believe me." Sorrow pooled within the deep brown depths of his eyes, and admittedly, the hurt puppy look that consumed him just wasn't appealing right now. Quinn found herself raking a hand through her hair, mind struggling to come with an answer to the only question she could think. Why the _hell _had she kissed him?

"Believe you?" she found herself saying quite loudly, not even sparing a second to think over her next words. "Why don't you believe _me_?" Everything was spinning, and a wave of nausea struck her with surprising strength. "Leave me alone!" she shouted, and by this time, the Glee Club had begun to realize what was happening. Heads turned their way, and even Mike and Tina stopped making out. Quinn almost felt like she was on the stage at prom again with all eyes on her. "Leave me alone... Leave me alone... Leave me..." She had just lost the crown to Kurt, and after everyone had watched him run out, they had averted their attention back to her. Watching her, judging how she would handle the situation now that it was apparent her dream had been dashed. Then, she had ran. And today wasn't any different.

It was deadly quiet, too quiet for the blond... And Finn was touching her arm, trying desperately to get her attention and bring her back to Earth. Silence settled over the party as Quinn brutally shoved Finn away. "Don't touch me, you bastard!" she screeched. Everyone stared. That is, until Puck came back in from the kitchen.

"Who ate the last brownie?" he demanded.

With a strangled noise, Quinn darted out of the living room and down the hall, nearly colliding with the bathroom door. Throwing it open, she hurtled inside like a bat out of hell, and slammed the door behind her, causing a crash from outside as something made of glass, she was sure, had just met the ground.

There, she fell to her knees on the ground and started sobbing as she had never let herself before. She wrapped her arms around her knees, curling into a ball as a sort of defense mechanism. Squeezing tight, it was almost like she just wanted to fold in on herself, and hide away from the outside forces. The ones that could hurt her.

"Quinn...?"

Frantically, Quinn threw her head up and caught sight of one Rachel Berry sitting on the bathtub parallel to her. The faint light in the bathroom highlighted the side of the other girl's face, making her tanned skin seem almost tanner. Her head had been cradled in her hands before she'd looked up in time to witness the blond's theatrical entrance, and her makeup was smeared around the eyes. It was obvious that she, too, had been crying.

"Oh, fucking hell!" Quinn exclaimed, moving to wipe away the tears that had been smothering her cheeks. Frustration swept a steady hand over her, and suddenly she was all but clawing the droplets away, adamant that Rachel should not see her looking weak.

"What... What are you doing in here? I saw you dancing with Finn... and..."

"_He's all yours!_" Quinn shouted, throwing her hands into the air and nearly knocking a basket full of lotions off the sink. "So, stop crying in here like an _idiot _and go out and get him. He was always yours even if he used to think he was mine." Her blood boiled, and a singular part of her willed her to attack the other girl. How could she be so stupid? Why was she throwing it in her face like this by feigning ignorance? Fortunately, she held back the urge, settling on giving the other girl a fiery glare through the tears that stained her face.

Rachel stared at her for a moment, shock evident in the small "o" her mouth had made as Quinn spoke. When she finally came to the realization that the blond had finished, she snapped out of her daze and searched for words. "Why are you crying?"

"Who the fuck says I'm crying, Berry?" Quinn demanded, though she knew it was fairly obvious, and the question only evoked a confused frown in the other girl. "Because I'm a whore." she stated viciously, turning her head the other way so as not to make eye contact. "Haven't you figured that out by now? I'm a filthy whore that cheated on Finn with Puck and then cheated on Sam with Finn. No one wants me because I can't love them back. Because I'm supposedly above the mortal weakness of caring about someone and not knowing how to show it. But, I _do_. They think I can't love and I can't feel. But, I _do_. I loved them all so much, and now I've lost them." It would be no exaggeration to say Quinn _hated _herself for this. For breaking down, and for Rachel laying witness to the terrible episode. She was supposed to be this incredibly strong girl, but the walls were crumbling around her. Quinn found tears stroking her face yet again, and her upper body heaved with the sobs, breathing becoming difficult.

A stunned silence resided between them for all but a minute before Rachel seemed to understand what was happening. Surely, if the girl carried on, it would result in some sort of panic attack or some other fate just as alarming.

"Quinn. Quinn! You need to calm down. Come over here."

The blond remained quite still, save for the physical strife that was now racking her chest.

Expelling a sigh, Rachel jumped to her feet and grabbed Quinn's hand, gently tugging over to the bath tub and in it. It was strange, because they both got in, and Quinn was sitting in one side trying to steady her breathing while Rachel was in the other cooing awkwardly and making any and all attempts to comfort her. She wondered why the other girl was even trying to help her. Like a previous conversation they had such a long time ago that it scared Quinn she remembered it, if the roles were reversed... Well, Berry would have been out of luck.

The smell of soap filled the air in the tub, and when Quinn had calmed down enough to look around, she flinched from the lights overhead. Rachel took notice and reached upward to draw the shower curtain, and they were instantly bathed in shadow. Rachel's eyes glowed almost hazel in the obscurity.

When the curtain was completely drawn and they were settled, Rachel let her hand fall away from Quinn's and onto her lap. It wouldn't be a lie to say that that was the most terrible feeling Quinn had ever encountered in all of her seventeen years. Perhaps it was because of the high she was so slowly coming down from, but... It just shattered her heart when Rachel let go, and suddenly she was grabbing her hand again, squeezing it hard, fingers playing over her knuckles and touching the smooth skin.

Rachel blinked at her in obvious surprise, but she didn't pull her hand away. She even put her other hand on top of Quinn's. "You're not a whore." she said quietly, casting her gaze downward so as not to combat with Quinn's own.

"Then what am I, Rachel?" It came out harsher than she meant it to... But, Quinn did find herself curious as to what the other girl thought, even if it didn't matter much in her own book.

"Someone so overlooked that it made me cry when you sang about it. You think you're this big queen of the school... But, you're not. You're a person like all of us. You're not invincible Quinn, and if you stopped painting yourself that way, maybe... Maybe everything would be easier. Besides, like I said at prom, you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen. Things should be a breeze for you."

"I'm not." She said it simply. It was a fact in her mind. Every time Quinn peered into the depths of mirror, her reflection was construed as a miserable, fat little girl. Or else, a miserable, pregnant big girl. That's why she had starved herself with all of the Cheerio diets and exercised until her limbs were pulsating with soreness. She so desperately wanted to be pretty, the most favorable girl in school that all the guys were after. And she wanted to be invincible like Rachel said, be able to stand for herself, strong and independent. Quinn wasn't stupid, though... She knew that everything she was taking on was best handled with some sort of support group, but soloing it just seemed easier to her.

Rachel didn't seem prepared to handle her not accepting her compliment and simply frowned, attempt at comfort lost on Quinn. She murmured something unintelligible then, and the blond perked up, vaguely aware of the other girl's grip tightening on her hand. The tears still fell, but they had definitely slowed since the girls had entered their bathtub reprieve. Claustrophobia was one of Quinn's weak points, but she was close enough to the edge of the tub to peek behind the curtain and see all of the space outside. Thus the tub was tolerable, even having a sort of calming affect on her.

"What was that?" she inquired, blinking heavily. Quinn stifled a yawn that grew high pitched at the end, almost a squeak. Removing the hair that had fallen over her eyes was a daunting task as she realized just how exhausted she was. The dancing must have worn her out because the drowsiness she endured now was comparable to nothing she had ever felt before.

"Nothing," Rachel sighed which infuriated Quinn. However, before she could demand to know what the brunette had muttered, she had plowed on. "I read a survey in a magazine somewhere that pretty girls feeling as if they aren't as attractive as they really are is contributed vastly by the media downplaying natural beauty with the use of airbrushed models. But, Quinn you really don't seem like the type to compare yourself much to others, so I'm confused why you seem to feel that way about yourself. Maybe the whole Lucy Caboosey thing and being saddled into our shoes with the pregnancy took a hit of your self esteem-"

The words were scathing, and Quinn wanted so desperately to snap at Rachel to shut up or to call her a variety of colorful names, but she knew that would get her nowhere. Mainly because they didn't seem to affect Rachel, and if the Glee Club found out, she'd be pinned as the bad guy. It didn't matter that Rachel was blurting out topics of her own distress like there was no tomorrow because she was Rachel, and she could do no wrong. Quinn often reminisced over the days that the entire club had hated the girl... Slowly, though, the brunette had managed to win their hearts, and that's when they started searching for someone else to be the lead bitch. "I don't want to talk about it."

Cut off, Rachel looked flustered until she finally gave a nod. "Okay..."

"I'm tired." Quinn murmured, eyelids drooping. The spinning had stopped, she realized, though the euphoria and sense of being as light as a feather had not left her. She found herself leaning forward dangerously into Rachel before the other girl lifted the hand off Quinn's and caught her thus preventing a possible smothering.

"Here... Lay down." For once, Quinn did as she was told, squirming in the small space and laying across the inside of the tub. Her head made contact with something soft, and she realized slowly that it was a petite shoulder. Rachel was lying beside her, looking down at her almost uncomfortably. Before Quinn could inquire why that was, she found her eyes beginning to fail her, fluttering closed. Something rushed through her hair - Rachel's hand perhaps? - and she breathed in the scent of the other girl. Vanilla. Hand in hand, they lay together as the blond teetered toward the edge of unconsciousness.

"I said you're wrong," muttered Rachel quietly. "You're wrong for thinking you're not pretty."

That was as far back as her memory of the evening went.


	4. Chapter 4

**So, this is probably my favorite chapter so far. You guys should know I have just about seven chapters already typed up, and I'm just copying them until I catch up xD. Yeah, I don't write this fast. Anyways, this is probably the most intense one so far... I just loved writing it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, nope nope.**

The scent of fresh laundry was the first thing Quinn sensed as she began to drift out of her slumber. The second was how thoroughly sore her body was, limbs pulsing as if she had just finished Cheerio exercises. Discontent with her position - one leg was splayed out to her side and her cheek was smothered into a pillow - she rolled over. However, it appeared she had misjudged the distance between herself and the edge of the bed because now she was toppling over the side, dragging the sheets completely off of it with her. "Hng." she groaned, still quite exhausted and not motivated enough to try and drag herself back up to the comfort of the mattress. In an effort to get her bearings, Quinn's eyes fluttered open, and light cast from a window, seemingly right beside her, immediately flooded her gaze. Though colored hazel with sleep, as the light touched it, it instantly snapped green once more. With a wince, she squeezed her eyes completely shut and moved clumsily to sit upright, only daring to open them again when she had faced the opposite way. Upon seeing again, she noticed first that her blond hair was an absolute mess, and she rushed a hand through it, fingers getting tangled. The second she noticed was her _head_. It honestly felt as if it was splitting in two.

As consciousness seeped into her bones, more senses began to return. Hearing made it increasingly apparent that the room was deathly silent. That is, save for the soft, slumbering breathing of someone else in the room... Thought came primarily after that and soon a hundred questions had already popped into Quinn's head, the most pressing being... Where was she? Peering across the bit of room that was visible to her beside the mattress, she thought that this looked like her room when she was... ten. Pink and young except for the vanity that stood parallel the bed with lipstick drawings and sticky notes plastered all over the mirror. Despite herself, Quinn started to shakily get up, a wave of soreness striking her as soon as she was on her feet... Dancing must have really worn her out last night. Slowly, she made her way to the vanity and peered down at the mirror... A green sticky note with the words, _Get It Right_, was crinkled and worn, thus giving the appearance that it had been written quite a while ago, though surprisingly... It seemed fairly familiar to Quinn, although she couldn't exactly place where from. A few others were scrawled with inspirational quotes that Quinn, frankly, didn't give a shit about... Until finally, she locked her eyes with one of the scarlet lipstick drawings... Except it wasn't a drawing. The word, _Finn_, was written in cursive across it, except... There was a huge _X _over it, almost rendering the letters illegible. Admittedly, it took a minute before Quinn realized what this meant, and she immediately froze.

Throwing her head back, it appeared she had snapped out of her slur of drowsiness altogether as she cast her gaze across the shape of Rachel Berry laying in the sheets. Resembling a deer caught in headlights, Quinn's gut tugged almost nauseatingly as she recalled the evening prior. She had been talking to Rachel in the bathroom at the apartment, and then everything had slowed down drastically... Her thoughts had been streaming through her head before, but then they had begun to stall, moving at a nearly lethargic pace. And she'd fallen asleep... with Berry... but what had happened after that? _I didn't..._thought Quinn as unsurely as she did frantically. _I didn't sleep with her..._The pillow she realized had been placed sensitively between where she had slept and the other girl made her conclude that she, in fact, didn't. But, she was still utterly clueless as to why she was in Rachel Berry's room.

Part of Quinn willed her to wake the brunette up. Demand to go home and tell her that the talk they had last night was definitely not the beginning of a friendship she was sure the other girl had already began to concoct in her head. Maybe even pretend that she didn't remember it had even happened. But, she was thoroughly wasted, and Quinn honestly didn't feel like confronting Berry right now if there was a way she could get home without having to. Turning from the vanity, she strode quickly over to Rachel's window and peered through the blinds. How the _hell_...? Her car was parked on the side of the road just outside of the house, and she couldn't help but wonder the events of last night that had brought it there. At the moment, though, she couldn't bring herself to care because if she could sneak out and somehow get to it, then she wouldn't have to deal with Rachel at all. If she was lucky, maybe the other girl would think it was all some crazy dream.

"Quinn?"

Well, shit.

Turning on her heel, the blond rose an eyebrow as she caught sight of a sleepy Rachel Berry. The girl raised her head, one side of her hair flattened to the side of her face, and gave a tiny yawn. The yawn fit Rachel, she thought, because as loud as the girl could get, sleep always emphasized the more peaceful nature of people. That is, besides Finn who sounded like a beluga whale giving birth. With a shake of her head, Quinn wondered why the hell she was thinking about yawns... There were obviously more important things to attend to at the moment. "What happened last night?" Perhaps it wasn't proper etiquette and would have been better suited to be replaced by a "good morning" or a "hello", but it was all she could think to say... Her voice cracked a little, and Quinn flinched, slightly caught off guard.

A frown touched Rachel's lips and she stared off into space as if judging where to start. "Well... do you not remember anything?"

"No," Quinn answered shortly, slightly curious as to what Rachel's perception of the night was.

"Oh, right. Well, I had entered the party fashionably late which turned out to be considerately late since Noah thought it would be _hilarious _to give me both the wrong address and the wrong time. That lead me to being forcibly saddled into sharing a cup of tea with Sandy Ryerson after he surprisingly opened the door..." Rachel looked down at the sheets awkwardly. "Despite his pedophilic nature, it wasn't as bad as you would think, though I certainly got out of there as quickly as I could..."

"Go on," said Quinn impatiently.

"Yes. Uhm. After exchanging texts with Mercedes, I found my way to the proper party. There, I noticed everybody was dancing. Uh, Brittany and Artie. Lauren and Noah. You and Finn... Anyways, I went to the bathroom to... er... contemplate the various lotions..." Rachel winced at the lie, though Quinn didn't call her out on it since she was supposedly none the wiser. "That's when you came in, and you were upset."

"Upset?" she inquired speculatively.

"Yeah, you, er..." She looked away. "You didn't tell me why. Anyways, you fell asleep later on, and when you finally woke up again, I was asking you if you'd like me to drive you home. You had obviously had too many drinks, though some of your mannerisms weren't very consistent with alcohol..." Rachel looked thoughtful. "Regardless, you simply couldn't drive in your state. However, you were... Very adamant about not going home. Something about your mother, and how you'd be dead, though I find it highly unlikely... Anyways, we settled on taking you here for the night. And now is now."

Before Quinn could press the girl any further, a knock sounded on the door, and both girls glanced up, alert. "Raaaache!" cried a man's voice, sounding from outside.

Alarm spread across Rachel's face, and the blond wondered why until the other girl gasped, "Quinn, they don't know you're here... Just. Pretend your sleeping."

Surprisingly scared of skewing the other girl's parents' perception of her, Quinn made a dive for the bed, flinging the covers back over her and smothering her face into the pillow, cheeks flushed and heart beating fast.

"Come in!" came Rachel's voice from somewhere to her side, and Quinn buried her face into the pillow as if trying to completely disappear.

There were two sets of footsteps, Quinn heard, and remembered with a shock that Rachel had two dads. A very odd urge to laugh came over her, but she held it back and tried her hardest to be quiet.

"Do you know what that car is in the- Oh. You have a friend over?" It was a different voice than the one outside the door.

"Oh, yeah." Quinn could picture Rachel nodding. "Sorry about not asking, Dads. It was a... spur of the moment type thing."

"It's no problem! Glad to see you're having more friends over. Wake her up soon because we're making waffles downstairs! And playing Patti LuPone trivia-" The one from outside the door.

"All _right_, Dads."

There was no answer, but when the door shut, Quinn sat up quickly. Rachel was sitting on the edge of the bed when she turned to look at her over her shoulder.

"Waffles sound nice?" Quinn murmured.

* * *

><p>Pulling into the driveway smoothly, Quinn parked the car, but even after she'd pulled the key, she continued to simply sit there, a strand of hair drifting over her eyes. The reasons behind this spawned from a combination of things really... Of course, the largest contributing factor was everything that had gone down with Rachel. Not to be usurped, everything that had gone down with <em>Finn <em>followed closely behind, along with what the Glee Club would think about the episode come Monday. Embarrassment flushed her cheeks as Quinn vividly recalled her words and Finn's anguished face when he heard them... She had completely wrecked their party, and there was no way that at least one of them wouldn't be mad at her... And then there was right now... Confronting her mother after being out all night, and truthfully, that was what she dreaded the most.

Expelling a sigh full of woe, Quinn checked her mirror to make sure she looked at least slightly more decent than she had this morning. At the Berry residence, she had managed to shift her hair into a loose bun and was spared some of Rachel's own clothes to change into. Not that she was particularly grateful, considering it was a woolen white sweater with an ebony reindeer on it and a dark, matching skirt. _Something only Rachel would wear_, she thought sullenly as she looked down at her get up with distaste. Closing her eyes for one final moment of silence - not unlike the calm before the storm - Quinn readied herself for the uproar she would have endure upon entry.

"All right," she murmured, having delicately placed herself into the state of mind she so rarely used on the off occasion she was to be shouted at. Slipping out of the car and closing it as quietly as possibly behind her, she made her way to the red flaking paint that covered the Fabray door. Realization dawned that it was unlocked, which was a bad sign indeed. To put it simply, it meant that her mother had already awaken to find that her daughter had not returned the previous evening like she said she would... Even after Quinn had explicitly told her not to wait up, an action that she now acknowledged in retrospect hadn't been particularly wise. Rotating the brass knob as slowly as she could will herself to, Quinn gently urged the door aside and rushed within. Once successfully inside, she proceeded to lean her back against the door, thus shutting it with supreme stealth.

"Where were you?" Incidentally, the silence simply hadn't been enough to evade the keen ears of her mother as the woman strode out of the living room. The woman sported no make up and hair was up, like she'd just gotten out of bed, though that could hardly be the case considering it was such late morning and she'd obviously been waiting for Quinn. Sometimes the blond wondered if parents made themselves look to be in their worst states just for these occasions. Not only was it ferocious, but it was as if it symbolized how much of a mess the respective child had made them with worry.

"I slept over at a..." She faltered. "Friend's house."

"Who?"

"A girl named Rachel." Quinn answered solidly this time around.

"Rachel? Really, is that the best you can come up with? _Rachel_? You've never talked about a Rachel before. I mean if you were going to lie to me, you should have at least said something more believable like Santana or Brittany."

Staring at her mother in absolute shock, Quinn willed herself to wake up. Because this was obviously a dream... Her mother would never accuse her of lying like this. At a loss for words, she didn't even try to come up with something else to say, simply stunned as the realization that her mother didn't trust her started to sink in.

Ms. Fabray, however, looked pretty pleased with herself, as if the silence that swelled between them validated her allegation. And so, the next words spilled from her mouth iced with venom. "I swear to..." Her mother was too religious of a person to use His name in vain, so she subsided. "Quinn, if you were screwing some boy... Who was it? Do you remember where that landed you last time?"

Something broke then. If she were a more symbolic person, she could have said that it was her heart, but it went deeper than that. It was as if her very core had simply shattered, and thoughts started streamlining through her head. The only comparison Quinn could even think to make at the moment was the feeling that had struck her when she found out Jean Sylvester had died and attended her funeral. Though she hadn't even known the girl, there was still mourning because it was a loss for someone. But, this was so much harder for Quinn because it was personal. All she could think in that moment was that something had died between her and her mother. Her voice slipped out in a nearly inaudible whisper, "I can't believe you just said that."

"Where were you?"

There was a pause, briefer than ten seconds, but it felt like an eternity. "You care where I was?" Quinn asked slowly, raising the gaze she hadn't even been aware was fixated on the floor and meeting her mother's eyes with the fieriest glare she could muster. "You... You care what I was doing? When did you ever care?" The words started tumbling out at a faster pace. "You didn't care when I was kicked out of my home-"

"Your father-" said her mother quickly.

"_YOU DIDN'T STOP HIM_!" It was a shout, the abrupt end of the calm as the storm took full way. The quiet intensity between them had broken into a million pieces as Quinn's voice reverberated off of the walls, rebounding viciously in the quiet house. "You don't _get_ to care, Mom. You're not allowed, okay? Because when I _needed_ you, when I was going through the hardest time of my life... You didn't. So, _fuck this_. _Fuck you and your bullshit._"

Ms. Fabray appeared absolutely stunned, as if she hadn't expected this reaction. As if she had thought she was just going to smother her daughter with insults and she'd just lay down and take it. How had she _not_ expected this? "I have been there for you, Quinn!" It was a theatrical half sob that evoked a roll of the eyes in the blond. "You're _so _ungrateful. I was there. When your water broke. For prom night. I took pictures-"

"That's all you do, Mom!" she screeched loud enough for even the neighbors to hear. "You take _pictures_. A picture of Beth before she got taken to New York. A picture of Finn before he broke my heart."

"Finn broke up with you?" Her mother blinked.

"That _isn't_ the point. Where were you when I was _homeless_? Where were you when I had to decide to give up my daughter to some woman I hardly know? Where were you when I had the morning sickness? _Where were you, Mom_? You wanna know where I think you were? Up Dad's ass. Because that's where you'll always be. You're so _dependent_ on him. You can't even talk to me anymore. Well, guess what? He cheated on you. Finn cheated on me. That's what guys do. Get over it." Her words rolled off of her tongue with such ice that Quinn could hardly believe herself. And her mother was just standing there, her mouth slightly open and her shoulders slumped as she fell out of the offensive. Quinn was well aware that she had hurt her, but it was _always _about her mother and what she felt. She was tired of it.

"I'm packing my bags." Quinn whispered, not once relinquishing eye contact with the woman, after the silence had dragged on for a couple minutes. Then, she turned on her heel and moved to start running up the stairs to her room.

"That's not your car," her mother said calmly. "I bought it." In all actuality, her father had bought it, but Quinn knew that would make no difference right now.

"_I'll fucking walk_!" she exclaimed, arriving at her room and flinging it open so hard that it hit the wall outside. Without a second's hesitation, she had pulled a dusty duffel bag from underneath her bed and was shoving into it all of the necessities. Clothes, a hair brush, a few dollar bills on her night stand... She knew she'd be forgetting a lot, but at the moment, she just had to get out of the damned house. Less than five minutes later, she was ready, but when she moved to leave, her mother was standing at her door frame.

"We can work things out... Lucy-"

"Don't... _Don't_. My name is _Quinn_." And then she had shouldered past the woman and descended the stairs in a matter of seconds. Slamming the front door behind her, Quinn was anguished to see a drizzle had started during the time she'd been inside and now it was ripening to a steady pour. Her hair instantly began to slick wet with the rain, but she was beyond caring about that. The world was spinning so drastically she thought she might be sick, and she couldn't believe what had just happened. Holding back tears, the blond found just enough strength to peer down the road. Above all... She just had no idea where to go.

In a flurry, she jerked her phone out of her bag and a dialed a number she never had before. One she'd only kept for Glee Club purposes.

"Hello?" answered Rachel Berry.


	5. Chapter 5

**So this one's a little short, but hey, there's actually some Faberry. XD Thanks for all of the reviews, guys. I love reading what you have to say about this fic, so keep 'em coming! And I'll keep the chapters coming. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Seated on the far left side of the Glee classroom at the very top row of their built-in bleachers, Quinn Fabray fiddled with the hem of her shirt. If she hadn't been none other than, previously said, Quinn Fabray, she might have thought it was a nervous gesture. However, anxiety simply wasn't in her realm of body language. She had hustled to this specific location pointedly, leaving one rather pocket-sized brunette to take a position between Finn and Mercedes. Still playing idly with her shirt, the blond cast brief glances over at Rachel thoughtfully, none of which lasting more than five seconds. At this point, Quinn thought, she wouldn't mind if Berry and Finn got back together because it would definitely resolve her problems with the boy. That is to say because Finn had been all but stalking her since the party. Her phone was filled with so many half legible text messages and missed calls, the girl couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for not answering them. Maybe if he'd stop chasing her, she could get over all of this confusion... And then once that was sorted, she would confront her home situation.

But the prospect of the two Glee captains rejoining forces seemed bleak for the moment as she didn't have much to gage their current relationship except for the _X_ Rachel had drawn over Finn's name on her vanity. Quinn wasn't much for reading implications herself, though she used them frequently, but she did know how to take a hint. The _X _was bothering her, though, and her curiosity was burning with the need to know what exactly it meant. However, in all of the time she'd spent with the Berrys, she'd managed to refrain from asking. It wasn't that she was scared to or anything, but she didn't really understand she and Rachel's relationship at the moment. Though she'd told her mother that she was staying at a friend's house that fateful day, every time she looked at Berry... Well, she saw a girl she'd been terrorizing for years. So, it stood to reason that Quinn didn't want to bring up any hurtful topic that might, more or less, persuade the other girl to come to her senses about letting the blond stay at her house.

It was quite surprising how easygoing her fathers had been about Quinn living at their place for a bit, since, she had no doubt, they must have known how horrible she'd been to Rachel in the past. She wasn't particularly sure how much the other girl had told them in terms of why exactly Quinn needed to stay there (considering the fact that she herself had been frustratingly vague when explaining), but they were wildly accommodating. However, the Berrys' friendliness didn't make up for the awkwardness between she and Rachel. Ever since the girl and one of her dads - a black man who had made waffles for her the morning she'd slept over - had driven over to retrieve a drenched Quinn from the onslaught of rain showering over her neighborhood then taken her back to the Berry residence... She and Rachel hadn't talked much, except for the blond's rather forced attempt at a muffled "thanks". Even then, Berry had only nodded.

Everybody was staring at her, and she might have pinned it down to fleeting paranoia if it wasn't for the fact that she could simply feel their judgment right down to her bones. The realization of just _what _had gone down Friday had struck her just before she fell asleep the previous evening, and unbeknown to a snoring Rachel on the other side of the bed, tears had streamed down her face until exhaustion had finally taken over. It was an overload of emotion, and Quinn just didn't want to deal with whatever was going to go down the next morning, even going as far as considering staying home. However, the thought of staying in an empty Berry house or having to spend any amount of quality time with Rachel's fathers hadn't sat well with her. And now she was here.

It was just... They'd all seen her meltdown and heard what she'd shouted at Finn, and it was brutally embarrassing. Against her will, Quinn heaved her bright gaze upward and let it settle on Finn, sitting uncomfortably beside Rachel. As if sensing her, the boy immediately locked eyes, the brute force of pain and sorrow behind his own chocolate irises enough to make Quinn avert her line of sight immediately, letting it land on Rachel. The girl was blabbering about something, inaudible for the distance between them, to Mercedes. Quinn could only imagine it was about Streisand or divas or whatever the hell they talked about because Mercedes was bobbing her head up and down in agreement.

"Eiffel Tower over there is staring the shit out of you, hon. My god, it's like he's undressing you with his eyes. _That _should be illegal." Quinn whipped her head back to meet the steady gaze of Santana Lopez who had turned around in her seat on the second row and was sporting a devious grin. Some part of her wanted to smile at the girl, but she just couldn't bring herself to.

Quinn donned her tough front almost instantly, her face hardening within seconds. "I guess he's just upset I told him the truth." Venom dripped off her words, and she gave the other ex-cheerleader a dazzling smile. Time to be the bitch again.

Just as quickly as Quinn's face had changed, Santana's own melted into her patented diabolical smirk at the answer. "I was at the party, y'know, and I'm guessing you were the one who scarfed the... specially brewed... brownies what with all of the '_BELIEVE ME_', and '_I AM THE SWAN QUINN_' crap. Props for punching him in the man tit and running like hell, but now I've got another question for you. Who else did you screw over? Because Elphaba's totally staring the shit out of you, too."

Face molded into an inquisitive expression, Quinn found herself following Santana's gaze and saw with surprise that Rachel had been sneaking a peek over at the two girls. When the brunette realized she'd been discovered, she instantly became quite fascinated with her shoes and peered down. Quinn's gut immediately tugged, and she glanced at Santana, suddenly quite afraid the girl would guess that she was staying over at the Berrys... It wasn't just the fact that it was considerably lame, but the conclusions this particularly evil Latina might draw from the scenario. "Ugh. I don't want to talk about manhands." It had been quite a long time since Quinn had used that term, and it evoked a rather surprised reaction from Santana who raised both eyebrows. Feeling guilty almost immediately after she'd said it, Quinn averted her eyes, though she made sure no ounce of the shame she felt appeared on her face.

Raising her ebony eyebrow again, Santana shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Well, whenever you do, Aunty Tana's here." She smiled with her perfect teeth. "Britts and I are having a sleepover tonight. Want to come? It'll be like old times... You know, before you went boy crazy and we quit Cheerios."

Not exactly a total introvert, Quinn could hardly disguise her shock since she, like everyone else, had read the school newspaper. The rumor that Brittany and Santana were involved romantically with one another was old hat, but it remained nonetheless relevant in this situation. Moreover, just about everyone was claiming that Santana was a lesbian, and as such, she couldn't even begin to imagine how the trio could ever be like old times again. Which was honestly a sad thought.

"Sure," she said, putting all of her effort into showcasing an enthusiasm that she really lacked.

As if one cue, Mr. Schue chose that moment to arrive and begin class.

* * *

><p>"Leave me alone, Rachel." The blond sighed as she tossed some clothes, not bothering to fold them, from the bed and into her duffel bag. With an almost forced flip of her hair, Quinn hurriedly disappeared into the bathroom to grab her toothbrush. When she returned, tossing that too into her duffel, she found Rachel sitting on the edge of her - theirs for the time being, Quinn sullenly guessed - bed with her tiny arms crossed over the small expanse of her chest. Stubborn anxiety was scrawled all over her face, and the other girl decidedly put up her more sardonic barriers to endure what was assuredly coming next.<p>

"Your mother just _kicked you out of your home_." Berry truly had no qualms about disrupting other people's efforts at not confronting the matter at a hand, a trait Quinn had come to find even more irritating than her constant blabber. However, the two combined were an undeniable force to be reckoned with. "You're in the grieving period, and the best way of coping is to keep at a constant..." Her brows furrowed the tiniest bit as she searched for words, and Quinn was almost positive Rachel was making up this 'coping' on the spot. "Like with... er... hibernation! If a hibernating creature goes to sleep just before winter and wakes up in the middle of it, it goes crazy because the scenery changed. You should stay, Quinn. It's too early to go to some sleepover."

Fighting the urge to laugh at the pure illogic in Rachel's ramble, Quinn raised her eyebrow as she turned from her duffel bag which now set precariously on the vanity. "First off, you have no idea what's going on between me and my mother as well as no right to make the assumption that you do. Second, I'm _not _a grisly bear. I'm a girl, and we're much more flexible. Third, do you even know anything about hibernation?"

As the other girl shook her head resolutely, Quinn figured as much. Rachel wasn't a fighter, something she had learned from the days in which she terrorized the girl, but the blond did have to give her kudos. Though she, like a small dog and a yippy one at that, lapsed out of authority as soon as intimidation introduced itself, she was irritatingly and soulsuckingly stubborn. That is to say even if she couldn't convince someone of her opinion the first time, Rachel was a 'try-try-and-try-again' type of girl. "I don't think you should go," the girl said finally, though within seconds her face had immediately brightened. "Or you could let me go with you! I've never been to a slumber party that wasn't with Kurt or Mercedes, and I could just blend in. Make sure you don't..."

_Go crazy? _Quinn thought sullenly.

"_Hell, no_," was her answer as Quinn zipped her duffel bag hard for emphasis. "You have no business trying to take care of me, Rachel. Or whatever you're doing." Within the deep, dark confines of Quinn's mind, a small voice played that she was being particularly ungrateful. The girl she was demanding to not take care of her _had _given her a place to stay as well as food, shower, and closet space. But, everything was too confusing, and she felt a rather territorial need to set boundaries. Her friends were her friends, and she'd rather keep it that way, especially since bringing Berry with her would open both of them to a whole lot of hell on Santana's part. "So, that's it then. I'm going, and you're not stopping me."

"How are you going to get there?" The tiny brunette's jaw was set, and Quinn couldn't help think that her attempt at being ferocious was simply a massive failure. "You don't have a car." Jesus, it was like a little kid wearing grown up clothes, and Quinn held back the laugh that burned within her throat.

Grabbing a pair of magnificently short - they would only come up to the tops of her thighs - pink shorts and a baggier white shirt that had belonged to her much taller sister Frannie from Rachel's closet, she tossed the girl an expectant look while saying, "Santana's picking me up."

Rachel nodded with resigned exasperation but stared back at Quinn's pointed expression, uncomprehending.

"I'm changing. Turn around, and don't look." Though she had been nearly naked plenty of times around Santana and Brittany - and they were supposedly lesbians - a part of Quinn flinched at the thought of Rachel seeing her without clothes on. She had nothing to hide obviously since she'd spent the last year regaining the abdomen she'd so desperately missed during her pregnancy, but it just felt like a vulnerable situation. So, turning her back to Rachel, she was under the assumption that the girl had as well because she pulled her shirt over her head, revealing a lacy black bra. What could she say? She had packed the finer articles of clothing before she left home because who knew when she was going to get them again. If ever. Without further ado, however, the blond shimmied out of her jeans, and suddenly, she was half naked. Taking a steady breath, Quinn cast a thoughtful glance over her shoulder and was shocked to almost catch the other girl's eye before her head turned. Throat tightening instantly, she hurried to don her pajamas, thinking all the while, _What a freak_. Her cheeks were flushed and her palms were sweaty when she finally made a move to slip her bag over her shoulder.

"Are you done?" asked the girl's voice from behind her sounding as if she was mustering all the curiosity she could. Trying to poise herself, Quinn wondered why Rachel even bothered pretending what had just happened hadn't.

"Yeah," was all she could think to say.

At her answer, the brunette pivoted around to respond, not daring to meet Quinn's eyes. "I still don't think you should go..."

"Yeah? Well, I'm seventeen, not a little kid or some pet. So, try and stop me." With that, Quinn swung her bag higher up her shoulder and made for the door.

Before she could head out, however, her hand was yanked back, and she glanced back into the steady eyes of the other girl. "Quinn."

_Get your manhands off me_, Quinn thought, but what came out was, "Please just don't touch me." And then she'd pulled her hand away and proceeded downstairs to wait for Santana.


	6. Chapter 6

**So, after editing, I have caught up to what I've written so far which means I've got to start actually writing the chapters again. This means that it'll take a little longer for me to update since I can't just copypaste, like I've been doing. But, I think the chapters will be considerably longer. Anyways, thanks for the reviews! They really inspire to write! Also, I hope you really enjoy this chapter, because this one might be my favorite. It just amuses me. But on a more serious note, I'm not going to be able to write this weekend, so it'll take even longer to post something new. Sorry, guys, but I do hope you enjoy!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. **

"I'm going to miss Tyra and her favorite things," murmured Brittany around a mouthful of pretzel, the bag of which they came balanced precariously in her lap.

"That's Oprah," answered Quinn thoughtfully as she flipped through the various channels of the small, black television in the corner of Santana Lopez's room, boredom lurking cynically at the edge of her mind. Heaving a lackluster sigh, she finally resorted to simply flicking it off as part of her began to regret the choice of attending the sleepover tonight. When the girls had been best friends, absolutely inseparable, a trio so beautiful constructed they had been the metaphorical queens of the school for most of their high school lives, they'd had countless week nights like this. Sometimes, they'd even have stayed up too late gossiping, joking around, and having pillow fights that they would be far too exhausted to return to school the next morning. But, since their simultaneous joining of the Glee Club, the three had managed to steadily yet effectively drift apart. More so Quinn than the other two who, to her envy, had remained incomparably close. Closer, she thought with an apprehensive glance at Brittany, than she ever would have imagined they could be.

With a familiar look of confusion, Brittany tossed her gaze back and Quinn and shook her head so that her blond hair, done up in curls, swayed. "I'm pretty sure Oprah still hosts Saturday Night Live."

On that note, Santana chose the moment to enter the room, pulling her dark hair into a loose ponytail as she strode purposely forward. "It's all right, everybody. Calm down. Santana has arrived."

"Praise the lord," Quinn replied, a dark humor glinting behind her eyes as she considered the rebuke her mother would have given her if she'd said that in her presence. Mustering up a faint but renewed optimism, the blond leaped onto Santana's bed, her petite body stretching out across the dark purple sheets. "You know, girls. Somehow I remember these sleepovers being a lot more fun. Probably because we spent most of the time trolling Berry on San's laptop." Guilt panged her for the reminiscence she felt, but it was undeniable that that had been such a simpler time for Quinn. Was it so wrong for her to miss it sometimes?

A frown ghosting across her full lips, the Latina shrugged. "It can still be fun, killjoy. Let's just do something stupid like we used to. Uh, Britt. Quick. We're looking for something dumb to do."

"Hey, baby, I think I want to marry you."

In the middle of stretching her limbs across Santana's bed, Quinn immediately froze and threw her head to the side, so that she could gage Santana's reaction. Unsurprisingly, not only did the other girl appear just as astonished as Quinn but her face had also turned a deep scarlet.

"Like the song?" asked Brittany then, blinking her large blue eyes in confusion. "Did I get the lyrics wrong or something, San?" She uttered the words around a pretzel, cutting glances from Quinn to Santana blankly.

Silence blanketed the room for all but a minute before Quinn burst into a fit of laughter, clutching her stomach and pressing her face into the bed. Santana, whose cheeks still rivaled that of a firetruck, took a moment longer for realization to dawn before she quickly followed suit.

"You're crazy," murmured the girl affectionately as she lightly tossed a pillow at Brittany whom deflected it with ease.

A grin spread across Quinn's face as she took in the two girls, and she let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding. Now this was more like old times. "So you guys _aren't _gay for each other? Or whatever the newspaper said." It was meant to be a light-hearted joke, but when Quinn glanced up to take in their reactions, she quickly realized that neither would make eye contact with her, and the quiet that followed did nothing to reassure her.

"Yeah..." answered Santana briefly, and for the first time since Quinn had met the other girl, she appeared uncomfortable in her own skin. It was terribly shocking because Santana absolutely _radiated _confidence, and seeing her any differently was like seeing a modest Tyrannosaurus Rex. It just didn't add up. Before Quinn could question this, however, Brittany had immediately stepped in as her savior.

"Let's play truth or dare. But, that's not really something dumb to do, sorry San. Me and my cat play it all the time, and the truths are very serious. You couldn't imagine his secrets."

Mind gearing speedily over what she had just observed, Quinn couldn't help the frown that graced her face but she shuffled closer to Brittany anyways and watched as Santana belly flopped the bed, her nerve obviously returned. Said action completed their little circle. "Since y'all are in my house, I say I getsta go first."

"Yeah, yeah."

"This is your house? You told me it was Narnia last time we were making ou-"

"_Quinn_, truth or dare!" Santana barely managed to keep her voice from cracking and fixed the blond with a callous gaze.

"Truth, I guess," she replied, not able to find it within herself to unglue her eyes from the two girls. Everything she had seen so far was really bothering her, and her heart thudded nervously in her chest. Did she really even know these people anymore? It wasn't as if... She would even care, but the fact that they were keeping secrets from her just destroyed her.

"Who's your sweet ass crushing on?"

Quinn groped for words because they had completely deserted her, and she opened her mouth to speak before closing it abruptly, suddenly developing critical memory loss because apparently she couldn't formulate sentences anymore. In an attempt to alleviate the anxiety - she couldn't pin it on anything which was strange to her - that had so suddenly attacked her, she rushed a hand through her bangs with frustration. "Finn?"

When her eyes finally found their way back to Santana's, she could instantly tell the girl hadn't believed her one bit. "I can't believe you're lying! Truth or dare is no joke, and you're violating the sanctity of it with your explicit... slandering! Stop being a politician, and calm your tits and tell the truth."

What was wrong with her? It was just a stupid question, and she could have said no one, but something had influenced her to say Finn. Not because she harbored any romantic feelings for him at the moment, because God knew she didn't, but because... Well, she didn't want Santana to think she was interested in anyone else. It had been a defense mechanism, she assured herself, but... "Just ask me another question," Quinn said, eyes darting downward to contemplate the design on Santana's bed sheets.

* * *

><p>With a grin she was sure appeared borderline stupid plastered across her face, Quinn perched atop a stool beside the piano. Something sparked behind her eyes as she watched Brittany and Santana, their pinkies crossed, venture to the front of the Glee Club.<p>

"Guys," piped up Brittany, dropping her hand away from Santana's and moving to stand parallel to the other girl. "This is going to be a little different."

"What Britts is saying is that Quinn back there is going to be singing, and we're going to be preoccupied with the dancing. It's staged uniquely, but it's going to be kick as-" Santana abruptly locked gazes with Mr. Schue and blanched. "It's gonna be cool."

As if on cue, that's when the music began to swell around the three girls, Quinn sitting idly on her stool with her legs crossed and Brittany and Santana staring into each other's eyes. It looked as if they were never going to begin, but as soon as Quinn had opened her mouth to sing, the girls leaped into action. The Latina twirled her fair haired counterpart, sending Brittany hurtling in another direction all the while doing ballet-esque spins and bounds.

_I wasn't jealous before we met_  
><em>Now every woman I see is a potential threat<em>

Leaning forward sharply with the first verse, Quinn's hair fell into her eyes, and she brushed it back with her fingers. Truth be told, she hadn't been expecting to do much dancing except that Santana had found her just before second period with explicit instructions on what to do during this performance. One of those was, "Be as sexy as possible," and though it was a blunt direction, the girl's eyes had read much more than Quinn was sure Santana could have imagined. Against her will, she had signaled the blond that this wasn't just another song, and part of Quinn had flinched at the realization then but now another part was flourishing. Honestly, she had no problem with their antics, but last night, she truly had been hurt by the prospect of them not trusting her enough to tell her what was really going on. Now that she knew, though they hadn't exactly told her to her face, she couldn't help but be elated, as if one of the many weights on her shoulders had relinquished itself. This... was progress.

_And I'm possessive, it isn't nice_  
><em>You've heard me saying that smoking is my only vice<em>

Brittany's back was pressed against the far wall as Santana strode toward her purposefully, hand outstretched. As for Quinn, she had taken to rounding the stool and tossing her hair back and forth, body swaying enough that a sharp realization that she might be giving Brad a particularly free show of her ass struck her. Alarmed, she threw a glance over her shoulder to see the piano player had politely found a place on the drum set over yonder to stare.

_But now it isn't true_  
><em>Now everything is new<em>  
><em>And all I've learned has overturned<em>  
><em>I beg of you<em>

Brittany had grasped Santana's hand, and the two had spun with grace, the blond's body flowing like liquid, fueled with an affection that blazed like fire. In a flurry of motion, they suddenly had been pressed together and Brittany was leaning as far backwards as she could, her leg propped to the side on Santana's thigh. Needless to say, the Glee Club was practically speechless at this point, the boys drooling and the girls with their mouths hanging open. That is, until Quinn sauntered up to them and raised her hands high, gesturing for them to sing the chorus with her.

_Don't go wasting your emotion_  
><em>Lay all your love on me<em>

After letting go long enough to barely drift apart, the two dancers had snapped back into place, hands clasped in the other's and chests pressed firmly against each other. What was more, Quinn, who had been grinning at them impossibly huge, promptly forgot the choreography Santana had so hastily detailed to her earlier. _Oh shi-_, she thought as she quickly jumped into the bleachers to improvise. Swaggering down the aisles between seats and various people, she ruffled Sam's hair - which earned her a scowl - and tugged Puck's arm upward before dropping it over Lauren's shoulder with a wink.

_It was like shooting a sitting duck_  
><em>A little small talk, a smile, and baby I was stuck<em>

If you can imagine, Quinn actually made guns out of her hands at the first line and shot at Finn before blowing the tips of her fingers. Beside her, Puck couldn't help but take his arm off of Lauren to clutch his stomach as he struggled not to laugh. Back in front of the club, the girls were half-waltzing and half-strutting together before Santana belted away to prop herself up on top of the piano, swaying her legs up and down to the dismay of Brad. All the while, Quinn sadly hadn't managed to remember where her dance moves were supposed to be and was rather professionally slinking through the chairs until she got to Rachel. Plastering a terrified smile on her face, she circled the girl who appeared considerably alarmed and shrunk into her chair. When she rounded her again, Quinn sunk low enough, to the surprise of the observing Gleeks, that her forehead was almost touching Rachel's. "Help me," she whispered huskily from all of the dancing, only hoping that the girl would understand her plea.

_I still don't know what you done to me_  
><em>A grown-up woman should never fall so easily<em>

Apparently not one to let another suffering performer down, Rachel let Quinn grab her hands with a jolt and lead her away from the bleachers. "Be sexy," Quinn murmured in her ear as the girl began to dance with her, no awkwardness thankfully marring their moves. It was the reason she had picked Rachel for this, because she knew that the girl would be professional unlike all of the other Glee Clubbers. Sure, she had thought about pulling Sam out, but she was sure the boy would have simply stared at her, and maybe Finn would have let her pull him down but there was the problem with his dancing. Rachel was the only option... Obviously.

_I feel a kind of fear_  
><em>When I don't have you near<em>  
><em>Unsatisfied, I skip my pride<em>  
><em>I beg you dear<em>

Brittany had bounded to Santana's side and was sitting on top of the piano with her, both waving their legs in unison as they stared into the other's eyes. Neither seemed to have noticed Quinn's own misfortunes but that was to be expected in this intimate performance. As the verse ended, she and Rachel caught the other's eyes and they both raised their hands to signal the Glee Club.

_Don't go wasting your emotion  
>Lay all your love on me<br>Don't go sharing your devotion  
>Lay all your love on me<em>

And then it was time for the instrumental, and Santana and Brittany had jumped off the piano. Quinn looked at Rachel with barely concealed terror before making a snap decision and twirling the girl around.

_I've had a few little love affairs  
>They didn't last very long and they've been pretty scarce<em>

The brunette appeared absolutely astonished, but complied eagerly to the twirl in time to fall against Quinn's chest, a move that made the blond's eyes widen to the size of metaphorical dinner plates. Swallowing hard, she took Rachel's hands and started dancing with her playfully and clumsily, the two jumping up and down in tempo. It looked like they'd staged it that way, thankfully, though Quinn couldn't help but grin at how stupid they looked. She laughed into the next verse.

_I used to think that was sensible  
>It makes the truth even more incomprehensible<em>

Santana and Brittany were taking turns lifting the other into the air in moves that decidedly resembled that of ice skaters. Abruptly halting, Quinn planted her feet to sing, not able to help looking down at Rachel as she did so, straight into those big, brown eyes.

_'Cause everything is new  
>And everything is you<br>And all I've learned has overturned  
>What can I do<em>

Quinn and Rachel untangled themselves and raised their hands again just as Santana caught Brittany with ease, hugging the girl from behind.

_Don't go wasting your emotion  
>Lay all your love on me<br>Don't go sharing your devotion  
>Lay all your love on me<br>Don't go wasting your emotion  
>Lay all your love me<br>Don't go sharing your devotion_

A huge smile had attached itself to Quinn's face as she grabbed Rachel's hips so has to pull her into a crouch, the two girls throwing their hands out to showcase Brittany and Santana. "Thanks," she said into the other girl's ear. As for the dancers, Santana and Brittany were pressed so close that they looked like they'd have trouble breathing. Staring, they both seemed to make a silent agreement as they leaned in at the same time and kissed, and even the Glee Club knew not to ruin the moment by clapping.


End file.
